This invention relates, generally, to water flow into tubs, spas or showers and, more particularly, to motorized control of water delivery through ports in tubs, spas or showers.
Tubs, spas or showers generally have a number of fluid flow ports or nozzles. Each flow port usually transmits or jets water or a water-air froth into the tub, spa or shower. Enhanced treatment or enjoyment for a user typically results from increased control over the flow of fluid to the tub, spa or shower.
One design employs a multi-ported valve having a handle to allow a user to rotate an inner cylindrical member relative to an outer cylindrical casing for selective alignment of ports of the inner cylindrical member and ports of the outer cylindrical member, for selective flow among a water supply and recirculating system, a spa, and a swimming pool. For instance, the user can manually rotate the handle to align a first port for flow of water to the spa and a second port for flow of water from the spa, and then the user can further manually rotate the handle to stop the flow of water to move from the spa and instead align the first port for flow of water to the swimming pool and align the second port for flow of water from the swimming pool. These first and second ports are the only ports for water flow between the valve and the spa for between the valve and the swimming pool. For example, the manual rotation of the handle by the user does not allow selection among individual ones, sets, or subsets of ports for water flow into the spa. Such a design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,413 issued to Valdez.
Another configuration includes an air valve for spas and baths. Air is drawn from the air valve to a jet by a venturi effect created by coupling of a water pump to the jet. A knob is manipulated by a user to selectively cause full, partial, or no air flow from the air valve to the jet. The air valve includes a housing having a port and a slot, and a barrel having a port. A user can turn the knob connected with the barrel, to cause selective flow or blockage of air, by selectively aligning the port of the barrel with the slot or port of the housing, or by selectively blocking the port of the barrel by aligning neither the slot nor port of the housing with the port of the barrel. In this configuration, only one jet delivers water from the pump to the spa or bath. The manual turning of the knob by the user does not allow selection among individual ones, sets, or subsets of ports for water flow into the spa or bath. The manipulation of the knob simply selects the quantity of air content in the flow through the jet. Such a configuration is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,768 issued to DeSousa et al.
Thus, a need exists for increasing selectability and/or controllability of water delivery to a tub, spa or shower in which a flow control device comprises a controller and motor with the controller being programmed by a user. A need also exists for improving controllability, selectability, ease, accuracy, repeatability, effectiveness, efficiency and/or performance in use of individual ones, sets, or subsets of ports in a tub, spa or shower through which water is delivered by the programming of a controller of a flow control device by a user.
Pursuant to the present invention, shortcomings of the existing art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of motorized control of water delivery to ports of a tub, spa or shower.
In one aspect of the invention, a system for user control, of water delivery to an interior of a tub, spa or shower includes a plurality of ports and a flow control device. The plurality of ports are located on a surface of the tub, spa or shower, and are configured to transmit water to the interior of the tub, spa, or shower. The flow control device is in communication with a water source. The device includes a motor, a controller, a first pipe, and a second pipe. The first pipe includes a plurality of inlets. The second pipe is movable relative to the first pipe, and the second pipe includes a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the plurality of ports. The motor is connected with the first pipe or the second pipe and the controller is coupled with the motor and programmed by a user. Moving of the first pipe or the second pipe by the motor controlled by said controller to a position of the plurality of positions serves to cause communication of an inlet of the plurality of inlets with a first outlet of the plurality of outlets. The first outlet is in fluid communication with a first port of the plurality of ports. The communication of the inlet with the first outlet serves to allow flow of water from the water source to the inlet to the first outlet to the first port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower. The moving of the first pipe or the second pipe to the position also serves to block a second outlet of the plurality of outlets with a solid portion of the first pipe. The second outlet is in fluid communication with a second port of the plurality of ports. The blocking of the second outlet with the solid portion serves to prevent flow of water from the water source to the second port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower.
The position can comprise a first position of the plurality of positions. The inlet can comprise a first inlet of the plurality of inlets. Moving of the first pipe or the second pipe by the motor controlled by the controller to a second position of the plurality positions can serve to cause communication of a second inlet of the plurality of inlets with the second outlet. The communication of the second inlet with the second outlet can serve to allow flow of water from the water source to the second inlet to the second outlet to the second port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower.
The moving of the first pipe or the second pipe to the second position can serve to cause communication of a third inlet of the plurality of inlets with the first outlet. The communication of the third inlet with the first outlet can serve to allow flow of water from the water source to the third inlet to the first outlet to the first port to the interior of tub, spa or shower.
The moving of the first pipe or second pipe to the second position can serve to block the first outlet with a second solid portion of the first pipe. The blocking of the first outlet with the second solid portion can serve to prevent flow of water from the water source to the first port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower.
The first inlet and the solid portion can be located in a first circumferential portion of the plurality of circumferential portions. The second inlet can be located in a second circumferential portion of the plurality of circumferential portions. The second circumferential portion can be different from the first circumferential portion.
The first pipe can comprise a plurality of circumferential portions. The first inlet can be located in a first circumferential portion of the plurality of circumferential portions. The second inlet can be located in a second circumferential portion of the plurality of circumferential portions. The solid portion can be located in a third circumferential portion of the plurality of circumferential portions. The third circumferential portion can be located between the first and second circumferential portions.
The moving of the first pipe or the second pipe by the motor controlled by the controller to the second position can serve to cause second communication of the first inlet with the first outlet. The second communication of the first inlet with the first outlet can serve to allow flow of water from the water source to the first inlet to the first outlet to the first port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower. The second communication of the first inlet with the first outlet can serve to allow a decreased rate of flow of water from the water source to the first inlet to the first outlet to the first port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower.
The moving of the first pipe or the second pipe to the position can serve to cause communication of a second inlet of the plurality of inlets with a third outlet of the plurality of outlets. The third outlet can be in fluid communication with a third port of the plurality of ports. The communication of the second inlet with the third outlet can serve to allow flow of water from the water source to the second inlet to the third outlet to the third port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower. The moving of the first pipe or the second pipe to the position can serve to block a fourth outlet of the plurality of outlets with a second solid portion of the first pipe. The fourth outlet can be in fluid communication with a fourth port of the plurality of ports. The blocking of the fourth outlet with the second solid portion can serve to prevent flow of water from the water source to the fourth port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower. Moving of the first pipe or the second pipe by the motor controlled by the controller to a second position of the plurality of positions can serve to cause communication of a third inlet of the plurality of inlets with the second outlet and cause communication of a fourth inlet of the plurality of inlets with the fourth outlet. The communication of the third inlet with the second outlet can serve to allow flow of water from the water source to the third inlet to the second outlet to the second port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower. The communication of the fourth inlet with the fourth outlet can serve to allow flow of water from the water source to the fourth inlet to the fourth outlet to the fourth port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower.
The controller may be programmable to allow water from the water source to flow from one or more of the ports in a preselected flow pattern at preselected intervals of time.
The first port and the third port can be located on different parts of the surface about an intended location for a user in the tub, spa or shower.
An air supply conduit can be in fluid communication with the first port. The flow of water through the inlet to the first port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower can serve to draw air from the air supply conduit for transmission, with the flow of water, through the first port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower.
The device can include a relief valve configured to provide pressure relief approximately at a particular level of fluid pressure in the device. The relief valve can be in fluid communication with an additional port located on the surface of the tub, spa or shower.
A second plurality of ports can be located on the surface of the tub, spa or shower. The second plurality of ports can be configured to transmit water to the interior of the tub, spa or shower. A second flow control device can be in fluid communication with the water source. The second device can include a second motor, a third pipe, and a fourth pipe. The third pipe can include a second plurality of inlets. The fourth pipe can be movable relative to the third pipe, and the fourth pipe can include a second plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the second plurality of ports. The second motor can be connected with the third pipe or the fourth pipe and the controller can be coupled with the second motor. Moving of the third pipe or the fourth pipe by the second motor controlled by the controller to a second position of the second plurality of positions can serve to cause communication of a second inlet of the second plurality of inlets with a third outlet of the second plurality of outlets. The third outlet can be in fluid communication with a third port of the second plurality of ports. The communication of the second inlet with the third outlet can serve to allow flow of water from the water source to the second inlet to the third outlet to the third port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower. The moving of the third pipe or the fourth pipe to the second position can also serve to block a fourth outlet of the second plurality of outlets with a second solid portion of the third pipe. The fourth outlet can be in fluid communication with a fourth port of the second plurality of ports. The blocking of the fourth outlet with the second solid portion can serve to prevent flow of water from the water source to the fourth port to the interior of tub, spa or shower.
In another aspect, a system for user control of water delivery to an interior of a tub, spa or shower includes a plurality of ports and a flow control device. The plurality of ports are located on a surface of the tub, spa or shower, and are configured to transmit water to the interior of the tub, spa or shower. The flow control device is in communication with a water source. The device includes a motor, a controller, a first pipe, and a second pipe. The first pipe includes a plurality of inlets. The second pipe is movable relative to the first pipe, and the second pipe includes a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the plurality of ports. The motor is connected with the first pipe or the second pipe and the controller is coupled with the motor and programmed by a user. Moving of the first pipe or the second pipe by the motor controlled by the controller to a position of the plurality of positions serves to cause communication of an inlet set of the plurality of inlets with a first outlet set of the plurality of outlets. The first outlet set is in fluid communication with a first port set of the plurality of ports. The communication of the inlet set with the first outlet set serves to allow flow of water from the water source to the inlet set to the first outlet set to the first port set to the interior of the tub, spa or shower. The moving of the first pipe or the second pipe to the position also serves to block at least one outlet of a second outlet set of the plurality of outlets with a solid portion of the first pipe. The at least one outlet is in fluid communication with at least one port of a second port set of the plurality of ports. The blocking of the at least one outlet with the solid portion serves to prevent flow of water from the water source to the at least one port to the interior of the tub, spa or shower.
The position can comprise a first position of the plurality of positions. The inlet set can comprise a first inlet set of the plurality of inlets. Moving of the first pipe or the second pipe by the motor controlled by the controller to a second position of the plurality of positions can serve to cause communication of a second inlet set of the plurality of inlets with the second outlet set. The second outlet set can be in fluid communication with the second port set. The communication of the second inlet set with the second outlet set can serve to allow flow of water from the water source to the second inlet set to the second outlet set to the second port set to the interior of the tub, spa or shower.
The first pipe can comprise a plurality of circumferential portions. The first inlet set and the solid portion can be located in a first circumferential portion of the plurality of circumferential portions. The second inlet set can be located in a second circumferential portion of the plurality of circumferential portions. The second circumferential portion can be different from the first circumferential portion.
The first outlet set can comprise a subset of the second outlet set. The first port set can comprise a subset of the second port set.
Thus, the present invention advantageously provides a system that improves controllability, selectability, accuracy, effectiveness, efficiency and/or performance of a flow control device for water communication with ports of a tub, spa or shower through the programming of a controller by a user. The invention also increases selectability and/or controllability of water delivery to a tub, spa or shower in which a controller of a flow control device is programmed by a user. In addition, the invention improves controllability, selectability, ease, accuracy, repeatability, effectiveness, efficiency and/or performance in use of individual ones, sets, or subsets of ports in a tub, spa or shower through which water is delivered by the programming of a controller of a flow control device by a user.